Dump valve



Feb. 23, 1954 A Q PARKS DUMP VALVE Filed April 2e. 1948 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 23, 1954 A. s. PARKS 2,670,006

DUMP VALVE Filed April 26. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wil/1111111 Asbumj 5. Parks www Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED DUMP VALVE Asbury S. Parks, Houston, Tex., assignor to Joe E. Edwards, Houston, Tex.

Application April 26, 1948, Serial No..` 23,358

14 Claims. (Cl. 137-407) Y This invention relates to new and useful rimprovements in dump valves.

The invention relates particularly to salt water or oil dump valves such as are used for controlling the escape of water or oil from emulsion treaters, tanks or other vessels wherein it is desirable to maintain a predetermined liquid level.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved valve for controlling the escape of liquid from a vessel, which valve is actuated in accordance with variations in the level of the liquid within said vessel, whereby said liquid may be automatically maintained at a predetermined or desired level.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved escape or dump valve for controlling the escape of liquid from a closed pressure vessel, wherein the valve is actuated in accordance with variations in the level of said liquid and also wherein any changes in the pressure within the vessel to which the liquid is subjected, do not affect operation of the valve, whereby a predetermined liquid level may be accurately maintained regardless of pressure variations which might occur in said vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved dump or escape valve, of the lcharacter described, which is effectively balanced so that the valve is actuated solely in accordance with variations in the liquid level of the liquid being controlled and its operation is not affected or varied by variations in pressure which may occur within the liquid vessel. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved valve, of the character described, which is so constructed that the valve will throttle from full open to full closed position over a relatively small range, whereby extremely sensitive operation of the valve may be had.

A still further obiect of the invention is to provide an improved valve, of the character described, which has only a single seating surface whereby the necessity of providing a guide stem for guiding the movement of the valve, such as is necessary in double seating valves, is eliminated; the elimination of a guide stem and double seat notl only simplifying the structure but also obviating the diiiculties resulting from the accumulation of deposits upon the usual guide stem or upon the seating surface of the valve.

A particular object of the invention is to providean improved dump valve, of thecharacter described, wherein the valve member is formed by av flexible element arranged to engage an annularseat, with said element having the-forces 2 f, acting on opposite sides to maintain the valve closed under predetermined conditions; unbalancing'of the forces acting on saidvalve-which moves'the'valve to an open position'b'eing'aclcomplished solely bythe weight of the liquid column being controlled so that pressure variations occurring in the liquid vessel do not affect operation of the Valve. v

The construction designed to carry out `the'invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention willbe more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure ll is an' elevation `of fan* emulsion treater, illustrating a dump valve, constructed in 'ac- 'cordance withthe invention, connected therewith for controlling the escape of oilfandfwater from saidL treater,

sion treater comprises a tank or vessel wherein the emulsied oil and water are separated through the'. application of heat and'` suitable chemicals. Breaking up of the emulsion vper'- mits gravity to lsettleY thewater to the bottom of the tank while the oil rises tothe top. The oil is drawn fromN the tankl through anoil overflow pipe ll which communicates with a vertical leg IZ. The lower end of thev leg has an outlet pipe i3 'connected therein "and a dump valve A; constructed in accordance with the invention, is connected in the outlet pipe I3 for controlling the escape of the oil from the leg or reservoir i 2. In ordinary practice some working level is established in the leg or reservoir l2 and when the oil in said leg rises above the level as indicated at B in Figure l', the dump valve A opens. The valve remains Aopen until the level is lowered to the point B at which time it closes. The valve A is connected through a gas equalizing pipe I4 with the upper end of the leg or reservoir l2.

The water from the emulsion treater or tank It is drained off throughv an outlet Hd and this outlet Vhas connection lwith a vertical riser Hb which hasits upper end open so that the water may Over'o-w into a vertical leg or reservoir 12d?.

. 3 An escape or outlet pipe |3a extends from the lower end of the water leg |2a and has a dump valve A', constructed in accordance with the invention, connected therein. The working level within the water leg may be at any desired point and is arbitrarily indicated at B' in Figure 1.

Whenever the water level rises above this point the dumypl valve automatically opens and remains open until the'glevel' is flowered. @The valve -A has connection through a gas equalizing line Ha with the upper end of the water leg or reservoir |2a and with the upper end of the tank I0.

It is noted that the emulsion treater is illustrated merely to show one application of the improved dump valve and no claim isrnade to ysaid treater. As a matter of fact-.fthe ,waives-A121119 A which are duplicates in constructionmay he used With other devices for controlling the escape of liquid from a mank or vessel. i

lheiimprovedrdump valve which-.comprises-the present :invention ,eispelearly `:illustrated :in Figure g2 yrandaincludes. an annular `-.housing f2.0 which 1i5 piroyided .iwith diametrically opposed .screw threaded openings .52.1- .and 2.2, whereby the :flow fJiinetFwhichmay be either -vtheline .433 `or I'3a. .ehownin Figure 1,..-may beyconnected therewithi The upper end of the housing ris. `flared. upwardly .fandfiiutwardlyutorormanannularfrlange 23 and a flexiblediaphragm ywhich :as illustrated forms a valve elementfzlvvhas its .marginal edgeporililonsiseazted mithinan annular groove v25 formed fingtheazpllerisurface of .the flange. The dia- ,Phragm sielampedy in,p.osition:by..abe11 shaped tal vitem1 3i ,'extendingftherethrough aus .,ed 1u-position-i-.byanut a2, .asuitable hgusigigandgfhas its ,flower end ifproyided Jwith a 4reduced rthreadedpm: 35 which extends through ig lylilafygd-:Washeri also through :aflower brag; andiritesmut-*SM to fasten the .teeetherfv:leuter .diaphragm has malaises engaeingitae E'immer endof a i effmdailllegl'aifwithfthe.wall marginal edgepf the Silhstfmal-Iy' the Same diameter as teuer aianhraemal .and the collar `:sa and Fil-i5 lfg 15.9,19Yif1ed-fwith-fports 5413,. The outer utacazgf filtering' L42.; gis `spaced' from the wall .of raffigurati. akanne1; Meis 4 formed around said ring. It will be evident that the pressure of the fluid in the upstream side of the flow line may be exerted through the ports 43 against the underside of the lower diaphragm. This lower diaphragm has an eiective cross-seotional area which is equal to the cross-sectional area of the opening formed by the valve seat. Thus, it will be seen thatwiththe valve closed, vthatfis', with the,idiaplnjaging-521iv engagingfithe seat I30, the pressure 'in they flow line willbe acting through the seat. Since the lower diaphragm .-321 '.iskof -the.:same cross-sectional area as this fopeni-ng, the pressure in the flow line acting againstqthisdiaphragm causes the ow line pressureto act against an area equivalent to the total eiectiveiarea of the underside of the diaphragm 24.

Upward movement-.of the ydianlrrag-m for Nave element 24 is resisted by `acoi-1fspring--45 .hiep has its lowerend engaging the supper, g-fplate .r3-.4. The upper end fu the Yspr-ins is idilod within@lcylinderv-ffwhich is :formed inleg' i1 Withthefdome 325,. A -anged upper plugfl gin- ,gaees the-.upperiend o ffthefspriugand is in engagedlpy an adjusting-stem #8 'which isthread- Aed through an axialopening-.4 9A for-med intheftop f5.0 rofv theeylinder. Affsuitaple Apacking vskins! i Seals Off around the adjusting .serewl feas equalzing `pire G, which mayfbeeithur-uf the :pipes I4 -or 14a 0f Eieurelfis wnnectedfiutoa passage 52 which is provided in the-fdomegz-Xand thus, the upper end of :the-.diaphragm element 24 is subjected to thegas pressi-1re w-.iliQhV-mfy be present in the liquid vessel. This -gas Hpresi- Asure, together with predetermined adjusted-pres.- .Sure of the spring Marges' the valvefelemeut to vits@insect er seated @tuition .1A.;suitab1e-net ,cock gir-valve 5,3 forbleeding the. domezihmaybe connected into a-suitable passage l0r escapeporjt .54 provided in the'iiangeJ/.B gof the dome.

ln the operation lof the device, the Yspringt5-is adjus-tedfto` .exert a predetermined fforceupon the valve element or diaphragm h2,4 ,-to bu-r-gethe same @Ward seated nesition. yAnygas .pressure @resent within the vessel; containing-the-.liquidto becontrolled is conductedl into thefdome .25 ;to .act against v`the/upper sur-face oi? the diaphragmgzr, .this .pressuraof course, being addedto the spring A5. The yunderside of the diaphragm or valvlefele ment, with the .exception of athajt portion within the-.openingsof the valve seat isi-acted uponvjbyfthe pressure l.of the -liquid lplus the `pressure .auf the gas -because obviously the wgasis lapplied to 'fthe liquid. -Thisliqud and-g'f1sprssureisalsoatius against-,the lowerfendof the smaller diaphragm 3.1 which as has been pointed Aout, is of the sar-ne cross-.sectional area as the openingvthrough .the valve seat andr thus, the area ef the :lower phrag-m is: addedfto the efleetive'area of the di y phragm y2t sincev its pressure is transniittegl through the stem 3l. f'fherefore, it will be evi'.- dent that the same `eieetive :areas y'are exposed to pressurevon both -sides of the diaphragm-24.

Since the :upper effective :area of the ,dia-.- phragm 24 is acted upon by fthe gaswpressurefplus the pressure of the spring 45 and the lower eiective area ofthe diaphragm is acted upon-bythe gas pressure plus theweightz of the liquid column, A:it Iwill be `evident `that when `the liquid cole umn 4.exceeds a vWeigh-t -suiicien-t te overcomethe adjusted pressure .of the spring;tpthevvalveeles ment. 3.4 will ibe-.raisedlafr fitsseat.

occurs, a now of liquid past the valves'eat and outwardly through thel ow line may occur. Ordinarily the flow line is open to atmosphere so that for all practical purposes the upper end of vthe diaphragm 31 vis never acted upon byfanyappreciable pressure. For this reason, it may not be essential to positively connect the stem 3| to the lower diaphragm, as with the nut 35a., since the force against the diaphragm is upward; however, it is apparent that some seal around the stem is necessary and the nut 35a is a convenient means of accomplishing such seal.

After the valve has opened,=liquid continues to escape past the valve seat until the liquid level in the vessel falls to a point where its weight is insufcient to maintain the diaphragm 24 open against the pressure of the spring 45 and the gas within the dome. At this time the valve closes and remains so until the liquid has again built up so that its weight combined with the gas pressure is again sufcient to open said valve.

vIt is ypointed out that with the provision of the lower or smaller diaphragm having an area substantially equal to the opening through vthe valve seat, it is possible to equalize or balance the Valve element; in other words, the same effective area is exposed to the pressure lwithin the upstream side of the flow line as the area which is exposed to the gas pressure within rthe dome 25. Thus, the eiect of gas pressure within the liquid vesse1 is nullied since it is acting on the same effective areas on opposite sides of the valve element. This results in the valve being controlled in its operation solely by the dinerential in the force of the spring 45 and `weight of the liquid column. Manifestly, lby adjusting the spring, the point at which the valve is opened may be accurately controlled. It will be apparN ent that variations in the gas pressure within the liquid vessel will not enter into or aiect the operation of the valve and thus an accurate control of liquid level may be obtained.

The device is simple in construction and is extremely sensitive in operation because variations in pressures acting on the liquid within the vessel do not aect the operation of the valve. The valve provides only a single seat which eliminates the necessity of a guide stem such as is ordinarily employed in double seat valve arrangements. lation of deposits either on the guide or on the valve seats which deposits materially interfere with valve operation. It will, of course, be evident that the particular size of the valve element 24 is subject to variation as is the size ofthe lower diaphragm; so long as the lower diaphragm has an effective area equal to the opening through the valve seat, the purposes of the invention will be accomplished.

The diaphragm 24 has been shown and described as the valve element but obviously, the

invention is not limited to this construction. It would be possible to provide a separate valve element for engaging the valve seat, with such valve element having its upper end engaged by or secured to the diaphragm 24, whereby any downward force on the diaphragm would be imparted to the valve element. In this instance, 'such separate valve element would, of course, be connected to the lower diaphragm 31, the cross-sectional area of which would equal the effective area of contact between the valve element and upper diaphragm. Y

`I'he foregoing description of the invention is l explanatory thereof and .variouschangesz in..the.

This obviates the accumusize, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.A

What I claim and-v desire to secure by Letters Patentis: f

1. A` dump'valve for controlling the escape of liquid from a vessel to maintain a predetermined Aliquid level in said vessel, said'valveincluding,

a valve housing having a flow passage extending therethrough and communicating with the liquid vessel whereby the liquid may flow through said passage, a valve seat within the passage, a'valve member movable "relative to the seat for controlling owthrough the passage, a main pressure responsive means having one side connected to the valve lmember for controlling movement thereof, that side vof the pressure-responsive means having connection with the valve member and reduced in effective area by the area of the valve seat engaged by said member when the valve member is seated being exposed to the liquid in the vessel, the opposite side of said pressure-responsive means being exposed to the area above the liquid in said vessel, an auxiliary pressure-responsive means having the same effective area as the area of the valve seat and having one side exposed to the liquid in the vessel, and means for transferring the effect of the liquid upon said auxiliary pressure-responsive means to that side of the main'pressure-responsive means which is connected with the valve member.

2. A valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level within a vesse1 including, a valve housing having a passage therethrough 'communicating with the vessel, a valve seat in the passage, a valve member within the passage movable with respect to the seat for controlling the flow therethrough,` pressure-responsive means lhaving one side connected with the valve member and controlling actuation of said valve means, said pressure-responsive means -having that side which is connected to the valve member exposed to the liquid within the passage and its opposite side exposed to the area above the liquid level in the vessel, the effective area of the side of said pressure-responsive meansA to which the valve member is connected being reduced in effective area by the area of the valve seat engaged by said valve member, auxiliary means having one side of an eiective area equal to the area of the valve seat and exposed to the liquid in the vesse1, and means connecting said last namedl means to the pressure-responsive means to transferfthe pressure of the liquid vagainst said auxiliary means to that side of the pressure-responsive means having connection with the valve, whereby the pressure-responsive meansy and the valve .means controlled thereby are actuated solely by the variations in the liquid level.

3. A valve as set forth in claim 2, together with any adjustable resisting means acting upon that side of the pressure-responsive means which is exposed to the area above the liquid level in the vessel.

4. A valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level within a vessel including, a valve housing having a passage therethrough communicating with the vessel, a valve means within the passage for controlling the flow therethrough, a pressure-responsive member within the v`housing having connection with the valve means for controlling the actuation of said valve means and l,having the areapofl one side less the effective area fthe l-iqui'd whereby v.said liquid will move the r pressure-responsive means to move saidtvatve @means :to yopen and .closed :positions accordfance withv `variations .whichoccurn the level :olf .the liquid :within the Wessel. to thereby control said liquid .-level, and auxiliary .pressure responvsive. means 'connected .with ythel valve-.meanszand having an effective vareav equal to :the 'area of val-ve means, =and means #for establishing communicationifbetweenthe liquid vessel v,andv thefefafective z area of "the 'auxiliary pressure-responsive Afmember, 4'wl'lereby 1 any :varia-tion in pressure with- ;inisaid. vessel will not vaieot operation of #said valve/:means .tofassure control of :the operation of said valve means-solely bythe variations yin liquid slevel.

:valve as set `forthin claim 4, and an lad ,ajustable resisting means'facting ion the pressure- :responsive member and applied to the side oppoasitevthat which is exposed 'to the liquid whereby xa desired or predetermined liquid llevel -may be Y-nstaintained within the vessel.

i6. kAn escape valve for maintaining la predetermined liquid level within a .tank .includinga Malve `housing having a v passage' extending therethrough with one-endof said passage communi- .ca-ti-ng .with the vlower end of the liquid vessel :whereby liquid .from said vessel may. flow into the passage, an annular valve seat within the passage, a flexible main diaphragm movable Ywith respect to the valve seat to a seated or un- ,.seated position for controlling flow through the ,pas-sage, resilient means-acting ragainst the uppersurface of the diaphragm for urging the dia- ;ph-ragm v-elownwardly .toward a seated position Aagainst the valve seat, means for exposing the entire upper surface of said main diaphragm to the pressure within the liquid vessel above the ;liquidlevel, the lower surface of the diaphragm except for -that portion `within the area of the valve seat when the diaphragm is seated being exposed through'thevalve housing passage to the .pressure withinthe liquid lvessel plusthe weight ,of theliquid within saidvessel, an auxiliaryilex- .ible diaphragm. having an effective area substantially equal to the area fof the opening through `the valve .seat andalsoexposed to the combined .vessel pressure and liquid withinthe passage, .andmeans-for transmitting .the force from said .auxiliary diaphragm to the .under side. .of the mai-n diaphragm. 4`7. AAn escape valve, of -thefcharacter described, .includ-ing a housing fhaving a ilow passage therethrough,an annular valveseat in said passage, `.a .flexible main diaphragm within .the housing l.having .,its. periphery sealed within said housing and having a portionof one side thereofadapted .to .engage the valve seat to function =as a valve `member, -thatiside of saiddiaphragm whichfaces the valve seat being exposed` to thepressure vin `vthe v`passage upstreamof the valve seat, -an auxiliary diaphragm within the housing having an eiective area equal to the effective-area ofthe valve seatxand also having one lsicleexposed to the pressurein-the passage upstreamof theivalve fseat, anda direct connection between ztheauxliliary diaphragm Vand Ithe main .diaphragm for transferring the e'iectof the pressure-.acting on *the auxiliary :diaphragm tothe :main idiaphra'gm.

escape valve-asset forth'in claimrtosfgetheriwith means for exposing thatside of 8 :mainadiaphragmtvvhich fppositmthe; sidezn- Agagingxthe valve seat to a portion tof y:the pres- ;sure which `present in -thef passage :upstream ofthe val-verseat. y 9. Anfescape valve vfor maintaining-a prede- .:termined liquid level. within a :liquid vessel 4including, a valve housing-.havinga passage ex@- tending therethrough .withone end of saidl pas- .sage communicatingwith the lower end ofthe- ;liquid vessel whereby-liquid from said vesselmay Ynew into the passage, an annular val-ve lseat within the passage, anexible valve element `with- `int-he housin-g :and having itsouter periphery in l sealingfengagement therewith, ysaid element vbeing movable with respect .to 'Y the valve l seat to a seated yor unseated position for-controllinggow through the passage, said element .hav-ing one side exposedto the liquid in the passage `.whereby said liquid 'urges' said element tow-ardan open position, the .opposite .f side of the element .being exposed to pressure -in -the varea .above theliquid :within the vessel, Vresilientl means f acting onrzsaid opposite side of said valve `element for urgingr the element toward its seated position,'whereby the `pressure of the liquid due to the rise of ,the liquid level in thel vessel and acting on the valve element must reach -a -predetermined ypoint order to unseat the valve-element toallow flow through the passage, balancing-means connected -with .the valve element and having aneifective vlareaequal to the effective area-.of .that portion of the valve element within thevalve seat when said element is in seated position, and means-for establishing Ycommunication l.between the .liquid lin vthe vessel and theeffective area 'of tl'ierrbalancing means whereby any pressure variations occurring in the area above the liquid within .the vessel act through the liquid uponone sicle-v ofthe valveelement and yat the sametimealso act upon the-eiective area of thebalancing meansin opposition to .the .action of such pressure ontheopposite side of the valve element .to thereby `prevent .such pressure variations .from aiTecting-the operation of. the valve element.

10. An .escape valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level within a tank including,.a -valve housing having a passage extending therethrough with one end vof said passage communicating with the lower end .of .the liquid vessel whereby liquid from said vessel mayflow into the passage, an annular valve seat withinthepassage., .a iiexible valve element having its .outer edgesfsealed. with the housing wall .and movable `with respect to the valveseatto aseated or .un-

seated .position for controlling ilow through the passage, resilient means ,acting against. the upper surface yof the valve element for urgingthe valve element downwardly .towardA a seated -position against the valve seat, means Afor exposing the entire upper surface ofsaidelementto the pressure within they liquid lvessel. above `the liquid level, the lowersurface of theelement except .for thatportion within the .area of :the valve seat Whenthe element isseatedbeing exposed to .the

pressure vwithin the liquid. vessel .plus the weightof .theliquid within said vessel, through the valve housing passage, an lauxiliary pressure responsive means also exposed .to the combined vessel pressure andliquid in the passagapand means for transmitting the force from said auxiliary .pressure responsive Ameans to the underside of the yvalve element.

'11. A valve as set forth "in claim 10, 'wherein the valve element is a exible diaphragm.' 12. `A-valve asset-forth -i'n claimv NL-wherein the auxiliary 4pressure .responsive vmeans has-an area equal to that area of the valve element within the connes of the valve seat, whereby the effective areas on opposite sides of said valve element which are exposed to the pressure within the liquid vessel are substantially equal to thereby prevent pressure variations Within said vessel from affecting the operation of the valve element.

13. A valve for maintaining a predetermined liquid level within a vessel including, a valve housing having a passage therethrough communicating with the vessel, an annular valve seat in the passage through which flow is directed, a valve member within the passage movable with respect to the seat for controlling the flow through the passage, a main pressure-responsive means having connection with the valve member and controlling actuating of said member, said main pressure responsive means having one side exposed to the liquid within the passage and its opposite side exposed to the area above the liquid level in the vessel, auxiliary pressure responsive means having connection with the valve member so that said auxiliary pressure responsive means, said valve member and said main pressure responsive means are simultaneously movable as a unitary assembly, one side of said auxiliary pressure responsive means having an effective area substantially equal to the area of the valve seat, and means for conducting the liquid pressure from the vessel to act against that side of the auxiliary pressure responsive means having the effective area substantially equal to the valve seat, said side of the auxiliary pressure responsive means which is acted upon by the liquid being so disposed with respect to the valve member and seat that the pressure acting thereagainst moves the auxiliary pressure responsive means in a direction to move the valve member connected therewith with respect to the valve seat in a direction opposite to the direction of flow through the annular valve seat.

14. A valve as set forth in claim 13, together with an adjustable spring means acting upon that side of the main pressure responsive means which is exposed to the area above the liquid level in the vessel.

ASBURY S. PARKS.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 515,703 Birkery Feb. 27, 1894 644,406 Crawford Feb. 27, 1900 858,401 Lamb July 2, 1907 1,195,253 Naslund Aug. 22, 1916 1,596,402 Chandler Aug. 17, 1926 1,851,422 Durando Mar. 29, 1932 2,393,119 Paasche Jan. 15, 1946 

